Belarus frees 52 political prisoners as US lifts some sanctions on its national airline

VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — Belarus freed 52 political prisoners on Thursday as part of a deal brokered by the United States, which lifted some sanctions on the country’s national airline.

It was another sign of a possible rapprochement between Washington and Minsk, a close ally of Russia that has faced Western isolation for years. U.S. President Donald Trump and Belarus’ Alexander Lukashenko spoke on the phone last month, and the American leader even suggested a face-to-face meeting could be in the works.

That would be a big win for Lukashenko, who has ruled his nation of 9.5 million with an iron fist for more than three decades. His country has been repeatedly sanctioned by Western countries both for its crackdown on human rights and allowing Moscow to use its territory in the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

But for more than a year, Lukashenko has sought to mend ties with the West in the hopes of easing the sanctions. He has regularly released prisoners as a way to win favor, including freeing Siarhei Tsikhanouski, a key dissident and the husband of exiled opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, in June.

The concession from the U.S. came a day after Poland denounced an incursion of Russian drones into its territory — some from Belarus — in what Western officials called an act of aggression. NATO jets were scrambled and shot some of the drones down.

Trump, whose country is the major military power in NATO, offered an ambiguous initial response to the incursion, posting on his Truth Social platform: “What’s with Russia violating Poland’s airspace with drones? Here we go!”

Sanctions on Belavia eased

Some sanctions on Belarus national carrier, Belavia, were relaxed in light of prisoner releases so far, according to a U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private diplomatic conversations. That will allow the airline to repair and buy parts for its planes, including Boeing aircraft.

The airline was sanctioned by the European Union, the U.S., and others after Belarusian flight controllers ordered a commercial jet traveling from Greece to Lithuania to land in Minsk. Once the plane landed, authorities arrested Raman Pratasevich, a dissident journalist who was on board.

The prisoner release was made public after Trump envoy John Coale met with Lukashenko in Minsk and announced the lifting of the sanctions.

Tsikhanouskaya, Belarus’ opposition leader in exile, warned that the easing of sanctions could create new leverage for both Minsk and Moscow, whose aviation industry has been heavily sanctioned, since Russia invaded Ukraine. Lukashenko allowed the Kremlin to use Belarusian territory to send troops and weapons into Ukraine during the invasion.

“We understand that this is part of the deal,” she told The Associated Press. “But lifting sanctions without systemic changes in the country could open loopholes that both the Lukashenko regime and Russia will use to circumvent the sanctions.”

One prisoner released refuses to go to Lithuania

One of the prisoners released Thursday, veteran opposition activist Mikalai Statkevich, refused to cross into Lithuania, a person who spoke to the dissident and another person who spoke to his wife told AP. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.

They said that the 69-year-old was standing in the no-man’s land between Lithuania and Belarus. He repeatedly tried to return to Belarus, but border guards blocked his path.

Kristina Belikova, the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, confirmed that one of the prisoners has not crossed into Lithuania and his fate remains unknown. She did not say who it was.

Statkevich, one of Lukashenko’s most prominent and charismatic opponents, attempted to run for president in 2010, but was arrested, convicted on charges of organizing mass riots and sentenced to sentenced to six years. Amnesty International recognized him as a prisoner of conscience, and in 2015 he was released under pressure from the United States.

Statkevich was arrested again before the 2020 elections, found guilty once more of organizing mass riots, and sentenced to another 14 years. He has been held incommunicado since February 2023.

Also among those released was Ihar Losik, a journalist for U.S. government-funded broadcaster Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, according to human rights group Viasna. The 33-year-old was convicted of “organizing mass riots, taking part in mass disorder, inciting social hatred,” and several other charges that remain unclear, according to the broadcaster. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison in December 2021.

The prisoners also included 14 foreigners — six Lithuanians, two Latvians, two Poles, two Germans, one French national and one U.K. national — according to the Belarusian presidency.

Almost 1,200 political prisoners remain behind bars in Belarus, according to Viasna, and Trump has said he wants to win the release of more.

Warming ties?

There have been signs of Trump seeking a thaw with Lukashenko — much as he has with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Soon after hosting Putin for talks in Alaska last month, Trump hinted that he was working on a deal to win the release of hundreds of prisoners held in Belarus after holding a “wonderful talk” with Lukashenko.

Trump announced in a social media posting following the call — his first publicized engagement with Belarussian leader during his second term — that the purpose of the conversation was to thank Lukashenko for the June prisoner release, which followed the visit of a senior U.S. envoy.

But the U.S. leader said the two also talked about the potential release of many more being held in Belarus.

Trump also added: “I look forward to meeting President Lukashenko in the future.”

That would be a remarkable turnaround for a leader who has been widely shunned for his relentless repression on the opposition and independent media, especially after tens of thousands of people poured into the streets to protest his reelection in August 2020, in a vote widely seen as rigged.

In the ensuing crackdown, tens of thousands were detained. Prominent opposition figures either fled the country or were imprisoned.

Lukashenko has since extended his rule for a seventh term in another election that the opposition called a farce.

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Karmanau reported from Barcelona, Spain. Associated Press writers Dasha Litvinova in Tallinn, Estonia, Katie Marie Davies in Manchester, England, and Aamer Madhani and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed.